Ice dispenser



April 1 1941 R uuccoRMAeK Erm. 2,237,189

ICE DISPENSER AP l, 1941- R. D. McaoaMAcK lE-r AL 2.237.189

ICE DISPENSER rma nay e, 193e 31E- El 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 1,1941 lcE DISPENSER Ralph D. McCormack and Kelvin T. Orrison, Washington,D. C.

Application May s, 193s, serial Np. 206,476

(ci. azi-104) 3 Claims.

Our invention relates to a device for dispensing crushed ice andparticularly for dispensing what is known as graded ice. In theapplication of Kelvin T. Orrison, Serial Number 202,075, there isdisclosed a method of making graded ice and the properties andcharacteristics of such product. As disclosed therein, ice from acrusher is screened through four superposed vibrating screens havingopenings of about one and onehalf, one, one-half and one-quarter of aninch respectively. The screens vibrate at a. high periodicity and withan amplitude of about one inch. Such screening sifts out of the ice onthe screens, all of the fine ice known as snow. The ice left behindbneach screen is substantially uniform in size and consists of freeflowing, clean, discrete lumps that are free from snow.

There is a great deal of objection to the present unsanitary methods ofdispensing crushed ice at soda fountains and similar places where ice isused in beverages. In handling the crushed graded ice, it is packaged atthe ice plant and dumped from the package into our dispenser and fromthe time that it leaves the ice plant until dispensed into the drinkingglass, it is lnot touched by handling and is not exposed to othercontaminating influences.

Referring to the drawings for a more complete disclosure of theinvention Fig. 1 is a vertical central cross-section showing thedispensing valve in filling position;

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the dispensing valve indispensing position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 'I is a detail sectio'n of a modified dispensing well;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a modified form of dispenser;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a central transverse vertical fragmentary section of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 9, the

hand lever being in dispensing position of the valve;

Fig. 12 is a central transverse vertical fragmentary section of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged vertical section on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section on the line I4-I4 of Fig. 10.

The metal receptacle I is provided with thermal insulation 2, a cover 3with a rubber gasket 4. and a sloping bottom 5. The entire assembly maybe mounted on a support 6 that may be secured in position on thecounter 1. Slidably mounted in the main bottom of the receptacle I isthe reciprocating dispensing valve 8 having an intermediate solidportion.9, a vertical dispensing well I0, a handle or pull rod II beingsecured to one end of the valve and a retractile spring I2 being securedto the other end. 'I'he handle. is connected to the valve 8 by a screwthreaded connection I3, thermal insulation I4 being interposed betweenthe end of the valve and the plate I5.

The main bottom ofthe receptacle is provided with a cylindrical portionI6 in which the dispensing valve 8 slides, and also with a dispensingspout I1. The frustro-conical like bottom 5 of the receptacle I slopesdown towards the front of the counter 1 to the spout 35 that fits intothe cylindrical Well 36, that is upstanding from the cylindrical portionI6. The opening in the bottom of the well 36 registers with thedispensing well III `in the valve 8 when in loading position, as in Fig.1 and is closed by the'solid portion 9 of the valve 8 when in thedispensing position, as in Fig. 2. By having the spout 35 near the frontof the receptacle, the distance that the valve 8 must move from loadingto dispensing position is conveniently short for the operator.

The spring I2 isconnected to a lug I8 lonzthe removable plate I9 wherebyaccess is had to the spring for replacement, and also to lug 20 on theend of the valve 8. In the sloping bottom 5 is provided a stirrerVoragitator 2|, pivotedat 22 to lugs 23 secured to the bottom 5 andprojecting upwards through a slot 24. It branches then to provide thearm 25 and the arm 26, which latter has projecting pins 21 on each sidethereof. The arm 25 is bevelled at 28 to provide relatively sharp edgeswhich facilitate movement of the arm through the ice mass. The lower endof the agitator has an arm 29 that loosely and slidably engages the endof the valve 8 through the medium of the lugs 38 and passes through theelongated slot 3l in the cylindrical portion I6. The slot 24 in thesloping bottom may be covered by the loose plate 32, through which thestirrer arm also projects loosely. A rubber buffer washer 83 cushionsthe handle when it springs back into place.

In the normaloperation of the dispenser, some melting of the ice maytake place and the water sov formed should be disposed of so that thedispensing Well Il) will fill -up with ice instead of water. With thisend in v'ieW, we provide a drain# age gutter 50 In the bottom of thecylindrical portion I6, in which the ice water collects and drains oithrough the dispensing outlet I1. 'Ihere may also be some drippingthrough the slot 24 and in order that this may not drop onto theinsulated bottom of the receptacle, we providev a metal screen 5Isecured to lthe outside of the sloping bottom of the receptacle and alsoto the top of the cylindrical portion I6 so that any water will be ledinto the slot 3| and collect in the' drainage gutter 50.

It may be desirable to regulate the amount of ice that is served by thedispenser. With that idea in view, we may use a removable bushing 52that can be held in the well I0, in any suitable manner as by the screwthreads 53. In this way the size of the well can be varied to flt thepredetermined amount of ice that it is desired to l serve.

.Operation releases the handle Il, the spring I2 pulls the' valve backinto the filling position, shown in Fig. 1. While the graded ice in thereceptacle is normally free flowing, it has a tendency sometimesrto archover and in the confined space at the bottom ofthe receptacle, does notdrop readily into the dispensing well I0. The purpose of the agitatortherefore is to loosen up the ice mass so that it can iiow freely andalso in the case of the arm 26 and pins 21, to positively feed the iceinto the well 36. As-the valve 8 is pulled out, the stirrer arm movesthrough the ice to the left and loosens up the mass and breaks down anyice bridges that may have formed. The same loosening of the ice takesplace as the short stirrer arm 26 swings upwardly. As the valve 8 movesback to theloading position, Fig. 1, the stirrer arm 26 with its pins 21positively forces the ice down into the well 36 and dispensingreceptacle I0, as well as loosens the ice mass. As the stirrer arm 2'5moves t0 the right, at the same time, the ice is again loosened and ingeneral forced towards the exit side of the receptacle.

While the dispenser above described is our preferred embodiment, Figs.8-14 show a satisfactory modification. The difference in general is thatin the latter form, the dispensing valve is rotary rather than slidingand the stirrer is sliding rather than rotary.

To the spout 35 of the receptacle I, the cylindrical well 36a isattached and in the cylindrical portion 16a rotates the dispensing valve8a that has a closed bottom well I 0a, the opening of which registerswith the dispensing spout4 I1a when in dispensing position and with theopening in the well 36a when in filling position. The rotary'valve 8a,on one end is provided with a pinion 40 that meshes with the slidingrack 4|, held in mesh by the guides 42, in which the rack slides.Connected to the other side of the rotary valve is one end of the returnspring 43, the other end being connected to the cover plate 44,. that issecured to the end of the portion i6a. To the upper end of the rack 4|is secured the stirrer Iarm 2 Ia that projects through the slot 24a inthe side of the receptacle. For operating the dispensing valve and andstirrer, a handle Ila is rigidly secured to the arbor 45, which isintegral with the rotary valve 8a. A cover plate 46 is secured to theportion Ia and the arbor projects therethrough. For limiting the rotarymovement of the valve in both directions the handle Ila engages the stop41 forming a. part of the cover plate 45. To take care of any icemeltage, the well Illa has a pin hole 54 therein.

Operation With the dispensing valve loaded with ice, as in Fig. 10, onpulling down the handle to the position, as in Figs. l1 and 12, the icewill be dispensed intothe receptacle 38, the stirrer arm in themeanwhile having moved upwardly from the position, as in Fig. 10 to thatoi.' Fig. 12. On releasing tlie handle, the spring 43 rotates andreturns the valve 8 to the lling position, Fig. 10, the stirrer arm 21ain the meanwhile descending from position as in Fig. 12 to position asin Fig. 10, thereby loosening the ice to permit it to flow and be forcedinto the dispensing cup Ina, by the stirrer 2 la.

We claim:

1. An ice dispenser comprising a receptacle for holding a mass of piecesof ice, a vertical discharge outlet in the receptacle for the ice, ashifting valve having a dispensing well therein below the dischargeoutlet for receiving ice from the said discharge outlet, a dispensingoutlet for delivering the ice from the said well, the dispensing wellregistering with the said discharge outlet in loading position and withthe said dispensing outlet in dispensing position, a reciprocatingagiator mounted on the receptacle and having a portion extending intothe mass of ice, above the discharge outlet and means for moving theportion upwards to loosen the ice mass, and downwards to positively feedthe ice through thedischarge outlet into the dispensing well.

2. An ice dispenser comprising a receptacle for holding a mass oi piecesof ice, a vertical discharge outlet in the receptacle for the ice, ashifting valve having a dispensing well therein below the dischargeoutlet for receiving ice from the said discharge outlet, a dispensingoutlet for deliverz ing ice from the said well, the dispensing wellregthe ice mass and downwards to force the ice through the dischargeoutlet into the dispensing well.

3. An ice dispenser comprising a receptacle for holding a mass of piecesof ice, a discharge outlet in the bottom of the receptacle for the ice,a piston Valve below the discharge outlet having a dispensing welltherein for receiving ice from the discharge outlet, a cylinder in whichthe said valve reciprocates, a dispensing outlet for delivering the icefrom the said well, the dispensing well registering with the saiddischarge outlet in loading position and with the said dispensing outletin dispensing position and a drainage canal in the cylinder for drainingoff any ice water through the dispensing outlet. r

RALPH D. MCCORMACK. KELVIN T. ORRISON.

